


Halfway Point

by cmk418



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-23
Updated: 2011-07-23
Packaged: 2017-10-31 09:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/342264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmk418/pseuds/cmk418
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taking a break from the drive to Los Angeles, Cordelia stops at a hotel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Halfway Point

Halfway between Sunnydale and Los Angeles, she stopped at a hotel for the night. She could have driven straight through except that she saw a sign for an outlet store that handled all the best brands of shoes at half the price. She spent three hours at the store trying on pair after pair before picking out a pair that would go perfect with that dress that she’d purchased for dressy, but not formal, occasions. Not that it wouldn’t be long before she’d be attending parties with producers and directors.

She checked her appearance in the rear view mirror. One could never be too sure about who she would cross paths with this close to L.A. and she had to be prepared for anything.

There was something a little strange about the man behind the front desk – not necessarily Norman Bates-ish, but there was something not quite…

_human_

She shook her head. She’d really been in Sunnydale too long. She was glad to get away.

She could feel eyes on her as she headed down the hallway. The front desk clerk who was also doubling as the bellman was explaining about the hotel being one of the first in California with a non-discrimination policy. Cordelia smiled and said, “How interesting!” It really wasn’t, but acting interested was one of the steps to success in the book “Twenty-Three Steps to Making It in Hollywood”.

“I hope your room is satisfactory, miss. You may be interested in the room service on the menu. I would highly recommend partaking in it rather than leaving your room tonight.”

“Oh-kay.” Absolutely freaking ridiculous. She thought that by leaving Sunnydale behind, she’d escaped the sunset curfew. “Is there a pool here?”

“Yes. Just outside the back door. You can see it from the window. Just use your room key to get in.”

Cordelia glanced out the window. Except for one woman taking laps, the pool was deserted. It wouldn’t hurt to work on her tan.

“Thank you,” she said, closing the door on the man.

She glanced out the peephole to make sure that he had shuffled away.

Quickly, she slipped into her bikini and grabbed one of the hotel towels, heading toward the pool. She opened the iron gate to the pool area and laid down on the one of the patio lounges.

“So you survived,” said the other occupant of the pool.

“Anya? What are you…?”

“I did a little traveling. And this place, well, it’s been around for a long time. It was one of the first hotels with a non-discrimination policy.”

“Yes, I know. Very progressive. Is that in the guest listing?”

“More word of mouth. One demon tells another and…”

“Wait a minute. Non-discrimination against who?”

“I just told you.”

“But the guy at the front desk didn’t say anything.”

“Hystins never deal in specifics. What did you expect? A sign at the front door that says ‘Demons, Demons, Demons’? No. Honestly, what did you expect halfway between Sunnydale and Los Angeles?”

“Is it safe?”

“You should be okay. I’d stick close to your room if I were you. Of course, there’s something to be said about safety in numbers. If you feel like it.”

“Maybe you can come up, we can watch some television or something.”

“Okay. We’ll see what develops.” Anya looped her arm through Cordelia’s.

As they walked back toward her room, Cordelia suddenly stopped. “There are demons in Los Angeles?”


End file.
